A new study ranks Idaho 36th in the nation for the occupational licensing burdens it imposes to work in the state.
The report from the Institute for Justice, a non-profit, libertarian public interest law firm based in Virginia defines an occupational license as government permission to work in a particular field. To earn the license, an aspiring worker must clear various hurdles, such as earning a certain amount of education or training or passing an exam.
For example, there are 10 states requiring four months or more of training for manicurists. By contrast, Alaska demands only about three days and Iowa about nine days. Idaho requires 93 days of training.
The report looked at 102 occupations in 50 states and the District of Columbia. It then ranked them based on cost of obtaining a license, educational requirements, exams involved to obtain a license and how many states require licensing of those 102 occupations. Of the occupations considered, Idaho has licensing requirements for 47 of them – the national average is 43. The 47 occupations requiring licensing put the Gem State in 23rd position in the number of occupations needing a license.
Wyoming licenses the fewest occupations at 24, while Louisiana has the most at 71. (IdahoReporter.com)
